Today is Monday, August 15 – a sad sad day for me! You see it is the last day for us to be in BYT before I go to America. I have preached my last sermon, we have gone to all the villages we possibly can to give our last worship and encourage the people to please remember Jesus! Today we will hike to MeDeLeGwee village where the people never seem to remember any of our worship talks about God! It is a long ways away and it is raining. However I am so happy to get to see these people one last time. I am also happy because I have rubber boots instead of flip flops. They have better traction, and you don’t mind slushing through all the mud and water, but they are too big for me, even with large socks.
Our back packs feel heavy as we start out, but the rain is slowing down. We go through the flat rice paddy and then head straight up the mountain.
It is so very steep, and the ground being this wet is more slippery than ice.
The pathway splits in 2 different directions, confusing us, because it wasn’t like this last time we came. We chose the wrong way, and ended up needlessly climbing another huge mountain.
Things did not look right – we have lost our way! After several more wrong turns on the jungle pathways, we found out that we were going halfway to MooDooKey village!
(So far out of our way). Neither of us have watches, so we had no idea how long we walked, but our shoulders, backs, and legs told us that we went a really long way!
At one point during the walk out, I walked into a big mud bog which suctioned onto my feet and I walked right out of my large boots! Now my walk is exceptionally uncomfortable!
Praise the Lord. It was all worth it and more!
Even though it is a small village, we were able to have worship in 2 different homes after treating the patients! I told the creation story with the small pictures from ‘My Bible First’ If you could only have been present to see the people enthralled by the pictures, and struggling to understand the whole thing. Then to watch them fold their hands, bow their heads, still trying to understand the prayer. I know God can bring understanding and bless these people during our absence.
The walk home was much quicker because we made no wrong turns and it is mostly downhill, even though it is too straight-down for comfort! Nothing comfortable about this walk in the mud and in the rain!
We didn’t have much time to clean up and get ready for our Monday night Bible study at DuPe’s house. I am wondering in my heart, if these people will miss me as much as I will miss them. My heart is indeed heavy I am wondering if all they will miss is the convenient medical care –but – away with these thoughts, because tonight I will tell the crucifixion story, and tell them at the end that Jesus still feels the pain when we disobey him. It was a lovely group of people tonight! Even BeeHtu and his wife came and many others. The Holy Spirit took control of that meeting and I am sure hearts were touched. I know my heart was even more touched as DuPe and his wife held onto my hands for the group photo afterwards, and they hugged and hugged me, crying on my neck, saying how much they will miss me. I was so surprised and so elated because this tells me they are hungering and thirsting after Jesus. He is the One that has given them this love!
After this study another man asked us to go to his house. He wanted us to do a worship for them too! What a blessing! Some of the others came also. Even though we have struggled all day in the mud and rain, and feel very tired, my heart is singing. I know that it is God’s will for me to go to America at this time, therefore I know He will take care of my dear mountain people until we meet again!
It is late when we sleep, but we must leave at the crack of dawn – the first leg of my journey to America! This story next.